Wildfire & Whispers

In training week we chanted: "La Ros, La Ros, La Ros is on Fire". We shouted and screamed it, but we didn't really know why. After being away for 5 weeks and staying in La Rosiere for 4 of them, I think I'm getting it...

Living here is not like real life, it feels different. I'm not sure why but I'm trying to put my finger on it. My job is quite easy, that's probably a start, but I'll talk more about that later. Its possibly the extremely social lifestyle where you're at work all day with the same people you live with and so are constantly surrounded. Or that, alongside this, the unusual or chatworthy tales that occur on a daily basis; its hard to keep up sometimes.

Indeed, not seeing someone for just a day can feel like quite a while, like you've probably missed out on something. Either way, its like being part of a living Soap Opera- things are always happening. Everyone gets in everyone else's business, people are very inquisitive (nosy), and Oriental Whispers is played every day (Chinese Whispers is a bit last century/ not P.C). I can't complain about the sharing of stories- I get involved myself, and I think most people here do to an extent.

Ok so I get it, there's a large friend group and you want tto hear about what your mates have been up to if its been and exciting night or an eventful day. The the odd thing is that people settle for hearing news from others rather than the source. And this is where the whispers come in.
        Second hand stories might not be 100% accurate in their retelling, so when there's a chain of passing them on and on it gets confusing and the accuracy can decrease each time. We all knew the kid at parties who would deliberately change the Chinese Whisper (dickhead- or legend depending on how you see it) and that probably happens here now and then.

Countless times, gossips divulge stories that they assumed to have happened rather than knowing its occurred. This is a bit ridiculous. And it means something that's completely untrue can be circulated very quickly.

And then there's stories spreading too fast. There was allegedly someone hearing that they had had sex before they even knew themselves that it had happened. True, this is rare, but apparently is possible. I think the story was that he was too drunk to remember if they did or not, and then she told one person. Then of course the word got out, so the account of the sex got to the guy by third party. Usually you get the news via the penis but this must have been one of those exceptions. Of course, this may not be true; its just what I heard.

[Nb. Since the time of writing, I have discovered this to not be true. He had known at the time about the encounter (thank goodness), but the story being recounted incorrectly only goes to further prove my point.]

And I'm not talking a little willy dribble on the seat, 

it was more like a mugful on the floor.

Finally, what about when something happens and no one knows who, when or why?

This happens often as I live with 11 other guys in a place called The Palace. Palaces are often obscenely grand buildings, lavishly adorned with beautiful furniture, priceless art and people that you can tell to make you a cup of tea and they have to do it or they get the cane. I'm feeling that the title of our home is used ironically. (Although I do have to make people tea sometimes).

Twelve lads together, its probably a recipe for disaster. In our case, this is not yet a meal cooked to perfection but its certainly in the oven (a sad metaphor as we only have a microwave). We do get on, but sometimes things happen with make people angry or confused as to how or why  they occurred.

For example, I wish there were some whispers about how our kitchen light became dislodged from the ceiling so that it hangs at an angle and only illuminates half of the room. No one knew about it allegedly.

Who covered the toilet cubicle floor in piss? And I'm not talking a little willy dribble on the seat, it was more like a mugful on the floor.

No one owned up, though this probably makes more sense.

And who threw rice pudding on the wall? I'd say Fin as he is quite the pudding guy, but I'm not going to point fingers. These things happen and will remain a mystery. That's just going to be the way it is.

You can't keep up with what all you friends are doing. There are too many people, too many nights out and too much silliness.
       Not that I am complaining. Its an interesting place to live and an amusing lifestyle. You can never expect what you will hear next and you can never know how true it is, I guess I'll have to live it each day as it comes.

You just need to know: whatever you do, or don't do, or things people assume you have done, it will be passed on, people will know, people will talk about you.

Accept that and you're prepared to live the Soap.
     

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[No its not on fire with STDs, its on fire with gossip.
Just in case you didn't get that.]